THE CABLE
The decision of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to shift the governorship and state assemblies elections to March 18 dominated the cover pages of Nigerian newspapers.
The Punch reports that the INEC shifted the earlier scheduled March 11 governorship and state assemblies elections by one week. The newspaper says residents of the federal capital territory (FCT) and neighbouring states are experiencing another level of hardship as filling stations run out of petrol.
The Nation says INEC has presented certificates of return to 324 members-elect of the house of representatives. The newspaper reports that Bola Tinubu, president-elect, has inaugurated his legal team to defend his mandate.
Daily Trust reports that legal practitioners have described the refusal of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to comply with the supreme court verdict on the validity of old naira notes as contemptuous. The newspaper says Nigerian Air Force (NAF) airstrikes have reportedly killed a pregnant woman and two teenagers in Sabon Gida village of Fatika District in Giwa LGA of Kaduna.
The Guardian reports that 45,000 Nigerians die yearly due to kidney failure. The newspaper says INEC has denied the claim that the deployment of the ICT director in the commission led to glitches in the bimodal voter accreditation system (BVAS) during the February 25 presidential and national assembly elections.
Daily Sun reports that the issuance of old naira notes by some banks and non-compliance by other banks have sparked confusion. The newspaper says a group — The Equality Movement (TEM) — has called on the national working committee of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to zone the senate presidency to the south-east.
THESE NEWSPAPER HEADLINES FIRST APPEARED IN THE CABLE
